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National Justice Summit 2024: FG, International IDEA, others call For Reforms in judicial appointment processes
National Justice Summit 2024: FG, International IDEA, others call For Reforms in judicial appointment processes
•Summit seeks reduction of CJN’s powers
By: Michael Mike
Federal Ministry of Justice, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), and other stakeholders in the nation’s judiciary have made far reaching recommendations that will address the issues of judicial appointment process, funding and eradicating delays in the administration of justice in Nigeria, at the just concluded two-day National Summit on Justice 2024.
The event was organised by the Federal Government in collaboration with the European Union funded RoLAC II Programme of the International IDEA.
In a communique issued at the end of the summit at the weekend, it was noted that the National Policy on Justice 2024 to 2028, will now serve as a roadmap, paving the way for a more efficient, equitable and responsive justice system for all Nigerians.
Chairman, Joint Planning Committee of the Justice Summit, Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, who read the communique, said the summit had three technical sessions.
Ajibade stated that the general consensus reached at the summit was that the role of the National Judicial Council in discharging its responsibility for judicial appointments into the Superior Court of record required significant review.
The stakeholders expressed concern about the fact that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who is the chairman of the NJC is also the chairman of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, the body that initially reviews proposals or lists of candidates by appointment into judicial office.
The summit pointed out the seeming inconsistency between the CJN playing both roles, as it would appear that he is recommending candidates to himself being chairman of both bodies, and being the person who appoints a significant number of the members of both bodies other than those who are statutory members.
There’s a general consensus by the summit on the need to reconstitute or propose reconstitution of both the NJC and the FJSC.
On the role of the State Judicial Service Commission in judicial appointmens, the summit concluded that there was a significant need to ensure that composition of the SJSC is more diverse, that it reflects the interests of the users of the justice sector.
Stakeholders noted the fact that the current NJC guidelines may have subverted the intent of the constitutional provision, empowering the SJSC to make judicial appointments, because the NJC guidelines, rather than authorising the SJSC to prepare a shortlist of potential candidates for judicial appointments, appear to address that responsibility solely in the Chairman (Chief Judges of States).
The summit therefore called for an amendment of the aspect of the NJC guidelines to make clear that the development or preparation of shortlist of candidates for judicial appointments is something that is to be done by the Commissions as a whole and not just by the Chief Judges.
On the general approach that ought to be taken to reforming the judicial appointments process, the summit stressed that focus should be on increased transparency in the appointment process, meritocracy and on meaningful performance evaluations of those who seek judicial office.
Also, it was recommended that Nigeria should consider the model that is currently being used in Kenya.
There was a consensus on the need to codify the judicial appointments process, such that the discretion that is currently witnessed in the appointments process is reduced to the barest minimum.
On funding, budgeting and administration for the judiciary, the summit resolved
that the current process for funding the courts was totally deficient as it was evident that the provisions of the Constitution as amended by the Fifth Amendment, authorising that funding for the State courts should be a joint effort carried out by the executive and the judiciary was not being implemented in any shape or form in the majority of the states.
Clear recommendations were made that this was something that needed to be pursued and dealt with decisively, as the summit stated that funding of the judiciary at the federal level is much better than what obtains in the States of the Federation.
More so, the summit observed the need to professionalise the administration of the courts, as well as to appoint persons with clear administrative experience to be selected through a transparent process to administer the courts, and to separate the administration of the courts from the administration of justice.
On eradicating delays in the administration of justice agenda for leveraging the rules of procedure and effective case management in Nigeria, the panel considered the importance of limiting the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, and ensuring that matters that would go to the Supreme Court would only be matters of significant national importance.
The summit held that before a matter goes to apex court, it would only be by the leave of the Supreme Court, and that the automatic right of appeal to the will be severely curtailed and will be limited only to matters relating to the office and the election into the office of the president of the federation, Vice President and, and Governors of the States.
National Justice Summit 2024: FG, International IDEA, others call For Reforms in judicial appointment processes
Police arrest man for alleged killing of 11-year-old son in Kogi
By: Zagazola Makama
The Police Command in Kogi has arrested a man, Jato Alhaji Jaye, for allegedly killing his 11-year-old son in Agbaja area of Oworo land, Lokoja Local Government Area.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that on Aug. 19, one Zuberu Adamu of Fulani bush camp, Agbaja village, reported to the police that his sister, Adama Adamu, complained she had not seen her son, Buhari Jato, who went for grazing with his father, Jato Alhaji Jaye, since Aug. 17.
A search party was immediately raised, which led to the discovery of the lifeless body of the boy in the bush. The father was reportedly found at the scene attempting to bury the body in order to conceal his act.
The sources said Police officers from Division ‘B’, Lokoja, rushed to the scene where photographs were taken, the suspect arrested, and the decomposing body released to the family on request for burial according to Islamic rites.
The sources added that during interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime, stating that the deceased had “offended him” while they were rearing animals together. He admitted using a Fulani stick to flog the boy as punishment, which led to his death.
The sources said the case would soon be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Lokoja, for further discreet investigation.
Police arrest man for alleged killing of 11-year-old son in Kogi
FG Partners for Better Treatment of Nigerian Travelers
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has taken an important stride towards enhancing the security and protection of Nigerian citizens traveling abroad through a partnership with ASFAAR, aims at addressing issues surrounding the integrity of Nigerian data and documents.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, on Tuesday while speaking at the Asfaar Press Launch and Media tour of Visa Processing facilities in Abuja, said Nigerians all over the world are maligned, noting that ASFAAR platform provides additional verification of traveler’s data, including their name, address, and character.
Represented by his Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communication, Alkasim AbdulKadir, he cited an example of a recent case where a Nigerian woman was wrongly tagged with luggage containing harmful substances.
He noted that: “If that person had come through ASFAAR, what it will have done is that it will have vetted her. It will have known her home address, it will understand her character.”
He stressed the importance of the Ministry’s collaboration with ASFAAR, saying it is part of their mandate to offer maximum support for such a platform.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is established to protect the sovereignty of Nigeria as a country where other countries are concerned, and this is one gateway for us to do that.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the protection and well-being of Nigerian citizens abroad, and this partnership is expected to enhance the security and protection of Nigerian travelers.”
Also speaking, a representative of the Ministry of Justice, Barrister Maculey William, said the partnership between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ASFAAR, aims to streamline the process of obtaining visas and enhance the protection of Nigerian citizens abroad.
“We check the laws, what have we encountered in the past years was that Nigerians have had a tough time, but with this partnership, we are working to change that.”
William also explained that the new system will allow Nigerians to access any embassy with ease and resolve cases efficiently as he highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government and ASFAAR.
“The partnership will provide first-class service to Nigerians, and the sharing of revenue will be kept under the federal executive council. How it’s being shared is being kept under the federal executive council, they are fully in charge.”
On his part, the Managing Director and the Chief Executive Officer of Asfaar, Dr. Jamil Hausawi, explained that the partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to ease visa restrictions and challenges faced by Nigerians traveling abroad, particularly to Saudi Arabia.
He said: “We started last November 2024, and one visit in Saudi Arabia due to a lot of complaints of visa restrictions and a lot of challenges Nigerians facing when they are traveling, especially to Saudi, not only for homeland privilege, but even more for work, teaching as a doctor and tourism to the Middle East.”
He further explained that the partnership led to the development of an indigenous digital ecosystem platform that meets international standards, including integration with Nusuk, a platform belonging to the Saudi Arabian government.
Hausawi highlighted the support received from key stakeholders, including the Office of the Vice President and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said: “The main objective of this initiative is to make existing name registration the primary tool for any business application, ensuring that applicants are verified as Nigerian citizens responsible for their actions.”
Hausawi emphasized that the platform aims to simplify processes, enhance transparency, and detect potential issues related to government offices or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“This platform is just a solution, a complement to all what we have, all what we need,” Dr. Hausawi explained.
“As far as you are Nigerians, we try to help, we try to make it simple, transparent, and we will be able to detect any issue related to our principal offices, the federal government, or Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” He said.
End
Mali: jihadists overrun Farabougou, Tidel as army reels from internal purges
By: Zagazola Makama
The Malian army has suffered fresh setbacks with the fall of two military bases to jihadists of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) in Farabougou and Tidel on Aug. 19.
The development point to the mounting pressure on the Forces Armées Maliennes (FAMA), already weakened by infighting and sweeping purges ordered by the ruling junta in Bamako.
At Farabougou, FAMA units supported by traditional Donzo hunters were routed, while in Tidel, Malian troops alongside their Russian partners were overpowered.
Sources reports indicate that weapons, armoured vehicles and other military assets were seized by the insurgents, with images of captured tanks already circulating on jihadist propaganda channels.
The rapid expansion of jihadist control across Mali is matched by a visible retreat of state authority, raising concerns over the government’s ability to secure its population. Analysts note that while militants tighten their grip on rural territories, the central government remains absorbed in political intrigues and internal crackdowns.
In recent weeks, several senior officers have been arrested or dismissed, accused of disloyalty or complicity in alleged coup plots. This climate of suspicion has eroded morale within the ranks and left units vulnerable to external attacks.
Sources describe the approach as “self-inflicted damage,” as the army, already stretched thin on multiple fronts, now contends with both battlefield losses and internal mistrust.
Russia’s Africa Corps, formerly Wagner, has been presented by the junta as a guarantor of security. But the setback in Tidel exposed the limits of Russian support, with reports of Russian casualties alongside Malian troops. The images of destroyed armoured vehicles and lifeless bodies, according to analysts, shatter the myth of technological superiority often associated with Moscow’s forces.
Meanwhile, GSIM appears to be strategically targeting both the community militias allied with the state, as seen in Farabougou, and the foreign security presence, as in Tidel. By doing so, the insurgents aim to undermine the government’s claims of national cohesion and foreign-backed resilience.
The Malian army high command, which rarely communicates in detail on battlefield reverses, issued a terse statement confirming “simultaneous attacks on FAMA positions in Farabougou and Biriki-were” in the early hours of Aug. 19. It pledged to provide further details later and concluded with the slogan: “United, we will overcome.”
Security experts argue, however, that the army’s divisions and the ongoing purge of officers make such unity increasingly unlikely. They warn that while a military force can recover from defeats, it cannot survive prolonged internal disunity.
Mali now resembles a drifting vessel caught in storms, with the risk of national collapse intensifying. The war that justified two military coups, they note, appears all but lost, with the jihadists tightening their hold, the army demoralised, and the junta consumed by repression and paranoia.
Mali: jihadists overrun Farabougou, Tidel as army reels from internal purges
Police arrest man for alleged killing of 11-year-old son in Kogi
FG Partners for Better Treatment of Nigerian Travelers
Mali: jihadists overrun Farabougou, Tidel as army reels from internal purges
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